Catherine Schell

It's FAB FRIDAY!

What could be more fabulous than the European loveliness of one Catherine Schell.

You knew it was coming. After the tribute to Gabrielle Drake and Wanda Ventham from UFO and one for Barbara Bain of Space:1999 you knew an homage to the stunningly beautiful Catherine Schell [1944-present] couldn't be far behind. Schell may be the only woman who could possibly pull off sexy in sideburns as Maya from the wonderful world of Gerry Anderson's Space:1999.

Schell managed to be smart, sexy and wear a Moonbase Alpha uniform that still highlighted some of the most incredible legs in the known and unknown universe that simply would not quit. Outstanding!

Schell was born in Budapest, Hungary as Katherina Freiin Schell von Bauchlott. Schell has appeared in a number of productions including James Bond 007's On Her Majesty's Secret Service [1969] and Moon Zero Two [1969] the same year. Schell starred opposite Peter Sellers in The Return Of The Pink Panther [1975]. She became part of the Doctor Who universe [or Whoniverse] when she appeared in the Fourth Doctor entry, City Of Death [1979], opposite the incomparable Tom Baker.

Schell has appeared in a number of other projects and even opened a guest house in France for a short period years later.

Before becoming a regular for the second year of Space:1999, Schell guest starred in Year One's Guardian Of Piri [click here for greater detail]. One thing is certain, Schell will always reside in the hearts of Space:1999 fans and be remembered as the shape-shifting and extraordinarily beautiful Maya from Space:1999, Year Two.

 

Space:1999 Maligned

This is precisely the kind of anti-Space:1999 sentiment that has affected its legacy through the years.

It's often much maligned. It's hostile reactions like this one that are almost reflexive and hostile by those quick to dismiss it.

The series has endured an unfair battle fighting detractors and mean-spirited quips.

How bad can a series be starring a double babe bill of Barbara Bain and Catherine Schell?

In fact, these two always make FRIDAY FAB!

Stargate SG-1 S1 Ep1: Children Of The Gods: Final Cut

The now revamped and remastered Stargate SG-1's Children Of The Gods: Final Cut is sweetly dedicated by Brad Wright and company to the memory of Don S. Davis [1942-2008] [Twin Peaks, The X-Files].

Like any good, conscientious creator, co-creator, applying due diligence and dissatisfied with the result of a past product, Brad Wright happened upon Stargate SG-1, Children Of The Gods [1997] and understandably decided to revisit it. With the distance of years, explosion of technology and his own growth as an artist/creator behind him, Wright felt things could have been done just a little differently. Sound familiar? He looked over the imperfections of his Stargate SG-1 child. Can you imagine looking at your child as imperfect? Admittedly, the unsuitable measure of children aside, I completely understand the desire to revisit a former work. It makes perfect sense to me and I wouldn't be able to resist that temptation myself. Thus, that would put me squarely in the camp of artistic license. Keeping the originals available in the age of Blu-Ray storage is always an option and recommended.

As perfect as it might seem to some, as carved in stone as it might be to purists, like director George Lucas, Wright saw its flaws and with the gift of hindsight saw an opportunity. In the same manner the Star Wars Original Trilogy received a makeover, Wright opted to perform a minor overhaul on his own baby. Going back to his original Stargate SG-1 offspring that was Children Of The Gods, to rectify areas he saw as problematic, Wright created a slight variation on the original in Children Of The Gods: Final Cut [2009]. Of course some would argue the changes are grossly dramatic and they might have cause to argue the point.

The edit, a year in the making, began in 2008 to construct the alteration dubbed Final Cut. Well, of course as always, Gateworld offers a splendid and detailed account of the rendering and is worth a look. Musings Of A Sci-Fi Fanatic decided to add a compliment piece to the previous coverage of Stargate SG-1, Season One, Episode 1, Children Of The Gods, by offering a succinct run down of the modifications that were applied for better or worse.

The original, to some, is near perfect, but despite the deletion of seven minutes of footage and the addition of some new material, Children Of The Gods does benefit to a degree. There are positives and negatives to take away from the new cut. Here's a look at what's on offer.

1. The accompanying score by the original composer, David Arnold with Joel Goldsmith, has been completely supplanted by the wonderful arrangements of Goldsmith in keeping with the rest of the series. The Final Cut score is exclusively the work of Goldsmith.

2. New material is woven throughout the film. Matte paintings, visual effects, extended scenes and one new scene. Special Effect insertions include the Stargate puddle giving it an updated deeper blue. It's a fine visual touch. Also included is a shot of Apophis palace, a sunrise over Chulak and a stunning pyramid shot. These kinds of exterior visuals truly expanded the worlds of Star Trek: The Original Series for the editions featuring remastered visual effects and the same approach works wonders here for Stargate SG-1. In fact, the early seasons of the ten-year long Stargate SG-1 series would really benefit from some minor touch-ups like those applied to this pilot episode.

Apart from orders by Apophis to dial the gate out of Cheyenne Mountain, an added scene includes a fallen female Jaffa in the examining room next to a fallen male. Stargate SG-1, Season Seven, Episode 10, Birthright, featuring a very sexy Jolene Blalock is just one example of the female Jaffa warriors on display throughout the series. Wright redresses this omission.

An additional Goa'uld Death Glider was built into the final climactic scene, as well as a Tel'tak cargo vessel.

There's also a restored briefing room scene featuring O'Neill, Carter, Jackson and Hammond.

3. Moving on to edits, dialogue replacement is inserted via re-recorded material by none other than Christopher Judge, Michael Shanks and Amanda Tapping. Shanks and Tapping recut some dialogue, but Judge actually re-recorded his entire performance, which, keep in mind, is smaller in this introduction. Still, it sounds fresh and in keeping with the rhythms of the character we came to know and love. Note the following sequence and compare it to the same clip sequence included in my coverage of the original Children Of The Gods. The contrast is significant.

Still, the omission might send purists over the edge. Part of the affection of early episodes like this one is seeing a character find his voice, alter his/her inflections and perhaps for some grow less stilted. Revealing each actor's relative growth is part of the fun. Removing these things is tantamount to tampering with the childhood perfection of a favorite toy, like a Colorform set. You just don't do it. Personally I enjoyed what was accomplished, despite my love for the View Master, the rusty metal lunchbox and Stretch Arm Strong, but I understand why it might have its detractors. Was Richard Dean Anderson's first take perfect? Anderson actually appears on the commentary track with Brad Wright.

Speaking of Anderson, his cheeky sense of humor was removed from this cut regarding his initial meeting with General George Hammond. The quote of the meeting in Hammond's office can be seen at the top of my original coverage, but it has been cut from the Final Cut and I must admit, while it makes sense, I missed seeing it.

Additionally, edits of Apophis' atrocities are spliced into the Teal'c sequence when he decides to join O'Neill and company. This scene always felt a little light to me concerning motive. There was no real information to suggest Teal'c's desire to leave Apophis, but efforts are made here to correct that approach.

Season Five, Episode 2, Threshold delves into Teal'c's decision to abandon Apophis, but the Final Cut of Children Of The Gods offers visual evidence and additional dialogue early on to better explain the break from his Jaffa master.

Many have complained of the motivations of Bialar Crais to pursue John Crichton in Farscape with such vehement hatred following the accidental death of Bialar's brother by Crichton. Many have suggested that moment was not enough to motivate Crais in a credible fashion. The decision for Teal'c to join SG-1 always felt a bit convenient in the start. This modification to a significant moment in the SG-1 mythology is serviceable, but still not entirely convincing.

4. Deleted material includes the infamous nude scene featuring then Vaitiare Bandera as Sha're. Her lovely breasts no longer adorn the film and that's a shame. There not needed by any stretch, but this fan really wasn't troubled by their inclusion. Most kids that would take time to watch this might cringe at the sight of her nipples, but unlike the intensely provocative scenes in Stargate Universe, this was nothing more than a couple of "mouth-watering scoops of flesh," to quote Weird Science. Sha're wasn't pinned against the wall and having sex with Apophis. Who really has a problem with sleeping breasts? Most kids aren't watching Stargate SG-1 anyway.

The infamous Samantha Carter introduction to the men has also been removed. Do you remember the line? "Just because my reproductive organs are on the inside instead of on the outside doesn’t mean I can’t handle anything you can." Gone. This was always out of character when compared to how Carter would develop. It has been removed for good reason. It was always Wright's preference to have it cut, while Jonathan Glassner voted initially for its inclusion. Some would argue its removal is problematic as future episodes allude to the line.

A piece of dialogue from Charles Kawalsky suggesting he didn't know O'Neill had a child lends the impression they were not close, working in stark contrast to Stargate SG-1, Season Two, Episode 4, The Gamekeeper. The line also seems out of place when compared to the handling of the O'Neill/ Kawalsky relationship in Season One, Episode Two, The Enemy Within. The line has been cut.

Other scene removals include the Apophis harem scene and the cliffhanger moment displaying an implanted Kawalsky complete with glowing eyes. This final removal allows Children Of The Gods to function as a self-contained film and less a serial entry. Truthfully, it's not needed to appreciate The Enemy Within on its own.

All in all, it is a well-paced revisit with strong effects and tighter character dialogue. Children Of The Gods: Final Cut feels much more the mark of Brad Wright and his intended vision with less studio interference. It's clear Glassner and Wright were both significant players in those first three seasons until Glassner relinquished his role to Wright. Wright's stamp is slightly more pronounced now.

Ultimately, these recuts and transformations to original material create a whole host of arguments for and against. Debates rage endlessly on subtle changes that have profound impacts. Star Wars IV: A New Hope, in particular, is a glaring example, but in some small corner of the universe the conversation continues on Children Of The Gods. I've added my two cents because I love and respect the conversation.

In the end, Children Of The Gods: Final Cut falls more in line with the kind of lovingly rendered, detailed and restored version of Star Trek: The Original Series and less the over tinkering of the George Lucas franchise. How on Earth could Greedo shoot first?! This pilot film is given a solid, if not wholly necessary reassessment. As good as the film is, that's my final word on the debut of one of the great science fiction franchises. Children Of The Gods: Final Cut: B. Writer: Jonathan Glassner/ Brad Wright. Director: Mario Azzopardi.

Barbara Bain

It's FAB FRIDAY!

It's time for all things glorious and out of this world from Gerry and Sylvia Anderson including the hand-picked beauties of the universe.

Our latest focus shines the laser pointer on the beautiful Barbara Bain [1931-present] of Space:1999. Space:1999 may not have reached UFO proportions when it came to its women, but its sound approach to science fiction ideas aside it still had its fair share of beautiful ladies.


It's almost unfair to stack up voluptuous Wanda Ventham and Gabrielle Drake, two of the finest science fiction females to grace television, against Zienia Merton and Barbara Bain of Space:1999, Year One. Even the adorable Merton can't save the day in that fight. Take UFO's ladies Ventham and Drake and put them head-to-head against Catherine Schell and Barbara Bain in Space:1999, Year Two and you may be onto something. That match up significantly ups the ante, but if I had to choose a series based solely on sex kitten status, UFO might edge out the competition. It's tough for anyone to beat form-fitting spandex tights and purple-pink wigs.

 

Nevertheless, Barbara Bain was the image of grace and sophisticated beauty. Bain was born Mildred Fogel. The attractive lady that was Bain, to thine young eyes during the airing of Space:1999, always struck me as an older woman even then. Today, her then physicality and how she carried herself, has won a much greater appreciation from me. In fact, as a young person the fine ladies of tomorrow never did catch my attention in that way. After all I was oblivious to the sex appeal of Catherine Schell. I was simply over the moon that she could transform into any animal or space creature she desired. Sex appeal was never an issue even if Barbara Bain reminded me of my mother in some odd way.

Of course, Bain is best known to science fiction aficionados as Dr. Helena Russell on Space:1999 [1975-1977] and as Cinnamon Carter on the television series Mission: Impossible [1966-1973]. She starred opposite her then husband Martin Landau on both series with whom she was married from 1957-1993. The two had two beautiful daughters. Her daughter Juliet Rose Landau appeared in Millennium, Forcing The End opposite Andreas Katsulas. It's stunning to see the striking offspring of those we adored adorn television screens for a whole new generation including our own children.

Juliet Rose Landau is beautiful. Bain has appeared in a number of series through the years, but will always be remembered as Dr. Russell. She may not be a vintage UFO sex kitten, but she indeed was and remains a certified FAB babe of the fine wine variety.

Looking once again at the one actress from the Anderson oeuvre that had a wildly varied and successful career with considerable longevity, this is a scene from the series Millennium, starring Lance Henriksen. The Season Three episode is called Matryoshka [1999] where she plays Lilly Unser opposite the always stunning work of one Terry O'Quinn [Lost] as Peter Watts.



Again, it's always a treat to see Bain perform as one of the most prolific actresses of all the beautiful women that ever graced the magic of those Gerry and Sylvia Anderson productions.

SciFiNow: The 25 Greatest Sci-Fi Villains

Superman II's classic triumvirate of villainy. General Zod, Ursa and Non.

This is SciFiNow #39's list of villains and while I may not agree with many of them, I certainly enjoyed their list and love when they put them together. I'm having a bit of fun with it here and I've applied alternate images from those selected for the publication.

25. Stay Puft [Ghostbusters]. Really? Yes, when I think villains the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man instantly springs to mind. Sweet, pure evil. It's still an interesting pick.

24. Bad Kirk [Star Trek: The Original Series, The Enemy Within]. Honestly, with all of the villains in the Star Trek universe, Bad Kirk is the best we can do? I'm sorry, and I like Bad Kirk, but he would not make my list of villains. The Borg anyone? The Klingons? Bueller. Bueller.

23. Davros [Doctor Who]. My recent coverage of Doctor Who's Genesis Of The Daleks certainly underscores the strength of this villain created for the Doctor Who serial. Still, Genesis Of The Daleks is ranked #3 in Doctor Who Magazine's The Mighty 200. Viewing that episode today, I was hard-pressed to believe there were only two episodes better than Genesis Of The Daleks despite the brilliance of this villain and the importance of this episode's legacy within the Doctor Who mythology. Ideas must be coupled with an entertainment factor. Nevertheless, as villains go Davros is a brilliant choice and with a UK-based magazine like SciFiNow it comes as no surprise Doctor Who would be properly represented here.

22. Cylons [Battlestar Galactica]. Another terrific selection. Which Cylon do you prefer? As much as I actually really enjoyed the Battlestar Galactica reimagining, the original series Cylon is still a mighty, tangible, thing of beauty, a genuine classic, a work of science fiction art as villains go. It remains a timeless unblemished science fiction Cadillac free of CGI distraction.

21. Pennywise [It]. Well, I guess. With all of Stephen King's work it's hard to narrow down just one villain. How about those Pac Man-munching Langoliers in all of their horrific, early CGI glory? Okay, bad example. Granted, who likes clowns? And who especially likes clowns with sharp, nasty teeth? Ronald and Willie the Whistle would be proud.

20. Roy Batty [Blade Runner]. An amazing, nuanced performance by one eternally underrated Rutger Hauer and a fantastic choice for the halls of villainy until, of course, that singular moment in time toward the end like all those tears in the rain.

19. The Thing [The Thing] The dog may not be the truest physical representation of the hideous nature of The Thing, but one of the clever beauties of Carpenter's creation was how it managed conceal its identity. When it did reveal itself it was generally through the face of benevolence eventually instilling the realization of mistrust and fear in the hearts of all those who remained alive. The great fear of the unknown became the unsettling and frightening monster in the room. The Thing is a classic, timeless villain.

18. Lex Luthor [Superman]. Admittedly, I know very little about Superman and maybe SciFiNow makes efforts to represent genres from across the board, but Lex Luthor probably wouldn't make my list given all of the wonderful comic villain creations in the Marvel and DC universes. The list of comic book villains is endless and certainly Lex Luthor is a good choice if you had to pick just one. The picture represents the classic, humor-infused performance by the one and only Gene Hackman from the original Richard Donner film, Superman [1978]. Hackman's version of Luthor may not be an accurate reflection of the true Luthor, but I bow to anything Hackman.

17. The Smoking Man [The X-Files]. This is a terrific choice and one that I probably wouldn't have picked, but it's very good. William B. Davis' performance gave us a quiet, delicious, seditious, vicious face of government evil in one of The X-Files' best recurring villains. He epitomized all that we fear and distrust in our government and Davis did it with devilish relish.

16. The Joker [Batman]. It's hard to tell which villain is intended [cartoon, film, TV series], but I suppose that's the point. The various incarnations of The Joker prove time and again you can't keep a good villain down. The villain is an iconic favorite and is certainly a good choice even if this malevolent voice of chaos wouldn't make my list. Again, the villains are countless from the various comic universes, but The Joker's sick and twisted industriousness certainly deserves respect.

15. The Master [Doctor Who]. Like the doctor, the Master has forged significant staying power as the ultimate doppelganger to the good doctor. Once again, it's safe to say this is a UK-based magazine. I hesitate to think The Master would have made an American publication as distinct a villain as he is. Of course, if this was a Japanese-based list you might find familiar faces from the Godzilla franchise. Monster Zero anyone? Megalon?

14. Alien [Alien]. This is one of the undeniably greatest of sci-fi/ horror creations to ever grace celluloid. It is the killing machine, the shark of outer space and is nearly as iconic as Darth Vader himself. H.R. Giger's influence on the Alien design is profound. Each director has proceeded to bring something special to its lasting creation. This both intelligent and primal creation is truly horrifying. Ridley Scott comes up big twice on the list.

13. Darth Vader [Star Wars]. It's Darth Vader! Say no more. Darth Vader is the single most iconic villain in science fiction. He probably deserves a perch at the top of this list as the face of the "dark side." Every ounce of innovation by all involved went into the creation of this dark figure. The breathing. The voice. The cape. The helmet. Every single detail is perfect. Darth Vader is THEE face of villainy, and yet an image and symbol of potential redemption. Those redemptive moments are powerful for the likes of Darth Vader, Roy Batty and others. But when they were bad, they were bad to the bone.

12. T-1000 [Terminator 2: Judgment Day]. Obviously some cutting edge CGI was implemented in the relentless T-1000's creation, but it was the stoic, unflinching performance by the slender Robert Patrick that really carried the role. A good choice that would not make my list.

11. Mr. Glass [Unbreakable]. I'd have to see the film again. It's been a long time, but hasn't left a completely lasting impression and thus Samuel Jackson's Mr. Glass would not make the cut for me.

10. Mankind [The Day The Earth Stood Still]. Okay. Well, I certainly understand the idea of evil from within and as human beings gifted with free will to make choices both magnificent and reprehensible I get it. Nevertheless, Mankind would not have made my list as a villain. I think that's called generalizing despite SciFiNow's specificity of example. It's a fair inclusion, but I definitely see our potential as something so much more... most of the time.

9. Agent Smith [The Matrix]. Not since Dr. Smith has their been a more delicious Smith villain. A terrific choice even if Dr. Smith deserves a spot. Agent Smith put Hugo Weaving on the map as a character actor and we have this brilliant villain's creation thanks to him and all he gave to the role as well as those who cast Weaving. Weaving really brings him to life. He's one of the highlights of the trilogy.

8. Ming The Merciless [Flash Gordon]. My Flash Gordon knowledge is severely limited. I have absolutely no historical perspective on the classic serial or Ming in any of the character's countless incarnations. I will say that I love actor Max Von Sydow and although he would not make my list here he was brilliant as Ming The Merciless in Flash Gordon [1980] opposite Sam Jones.

7. Hal [2001: A Space Odyssey]. As computers go... sure. I guess. Though, I have one at home that just hates me.

6. Biff [Back To The Future]. Was the character memorable opposite Crispin Glover's equally memorable McFly? Absolutely! Would Biff make my list? Uh, hell no! Biff! Really?

5. Zod [Superman]. Again, I have little to offer on Zod as a villain, but speaking directly to the character as brought to life in Superman II [1980], Zod is an awesome foe. Terence Stamp's performance is one of his most memorable despite an amazing body of work including his lead in The Limey [1999]. His performances are often striking and his understated Zod here in Superman II is incredible. However, the character would not have made my list despite this particular classic Stamp performance in the role.

4. T-800 [The Terminator]. Just as the T-1000 was the anti-T-800, the T-800 is the hulking original to the James Cameron franchise. Arnold Schwarzenegger embodied the classic and iconic image of The Terminator and made the man a star along with Conan The Barbarian [1982]. I've always enjoyed the Terminator films, except for the third entry, but the Cyberdine systems simply would not make my list.

3. Boddicker [Robocop]. Yes, a despicable, murderous sociopath and a more specific, proper example by SciFiNow of Mankind at its worst. While Boddicker is a horrific villain he is a boring choice and would not make my list. Besides, this is an extraordinarily evil, but ordinary villain who merely exists within a science fiction film. Yet, The Joker would be proud.

2. Khan [Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]. A superb voice for super villains everywhere. Actor Ricardo Montalban and his amazing chest in one of his finest, most unforgettable performances.

1. Emperor Palpatine [Star Wars]. The man behind the curtain. The evil Sith Lord trumps the great Darth Vader. Emperor Palpatine is a fine selection and nearly as memorable as Vader. Though, Palpatine is a true villain with absolutely no redemptive quality. This is a truly unchecked evil, a smiling malevolence and may be the list's greatest villain in that regard. He probably would not have made my list, but he's a splendid option and deserves the top spot.

So many villains so few spots on a Top List.

There are omissions here that were glaring to me. Sometimes SciFiNow has a tendency to be all things to all people, which is the great thing about a personal blog. Any unconscionable omissions will be remedied in the near future with the official Sci-Fi Fanatic Top 15 Greatest Sci-Fi Villains [reserving the right to expand]. I won't give away my hand and I'm sure you share in some of the outrage fun. What's missing from your list? Still, the list is a fun one.

Here's one final point about what makes a great villain. In the Doctor Who documentary The Dalek Tapes extracted from Doctor Who's Genesis Of The Daleks writer Eric Saward reflects, "the best villains work when they're quiet." So true. The very best villains are in control, measured and yet powerful in their approach to any situation or crisis. Darth Vader is a great example of this. There are others and one in particular will make the top of my own list. Saward was making the reference to an interpretation of Davros in the 1980s, but it certainly applies elsewhere. It may not always be true, but it's a great observation. More villains to come! Stay tuned... or else!